


Pawprints on Your Heart

by morganoconner



Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: Angst, Gen, Gen Fic, Grief/Mourning, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-03-07
Updated: 2011-03-07
Packaged: 2017-10-18 06:58:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/186215
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/morganoconner/pseuds/morganoconner
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jensen made a promise, and he fully intends to keep it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Pawprints on Your Heart

Jensen finds Jared exactly where he figures he will – lying in bed, staring blankly up at the ceiling, his arms closed tightly around a threadbare blanket he's barely let go of since coming home from the veterinarian's office. It's the same place and the same position and the same blank stare he's held for the past week.

"Jay." When he gets no response, Jensen steps into the room, leaving the door open just enough to let some light spill in from the sunlit hallway. Jared's kept the drapes drawn in here, leaving the room stifling and tomb-like. Jensen sits on the edge of the bed, worried gaze taking in the paleness of Jared's skin, the new lines etched in his face. The dimness in those normally bright eyes. His hand finds Jared's shoulder almost without his permission, and he ignores the flinch his touch generates. "Jared."

"Go away." Jared's voice is gravelly from disuse, lifeless from heartbreak. He turns onto his side, his back to Jensen now as he curls his body around the blanket and buries his face in it.

This is the third time Jensen's been here, the third time Jared's tried to hide from him. Jensen's been willing to let it go up to this point, willing to give Jared the space he thought he needed, but he can't stand it anymore. Carefully, Jensen lies down next to Jared, turns and wraps one arm around his waist. He's not surprised to feel Jared go tense, but that doesn't stop him from pressing himself against Jared's back and holding onto his friend.

There's perfect silence for five long minutes. Jensen counts them out in his head in _mississippi_ s, the way he used to do when he was a kid, what feels like a hundred years ago. He's just starting in on the three hundredth mississippi when Jared clears his throat. "Jensen, what the hell are you doing?" he asks.

"Not leaving," Jensen replies, tightening his hold to prove his point.

"I can see that." Jared swallows hard enough that Jensen feels it. " _Why?_ "

"You're not getting rid of me till you can get up and make yourself some food – which you will _eat_ – and take a shower and go out into the goddamn sunshine. I'll stay in this bed for the next week if I have to." Jensen will, too. He can be a stubborn jackass when he wants to be, and when it comes to making sure Jared's okay, you can bet that _he wants to be_.

Jared's quiet for another two minutes and thirteen seconds, by Jensen's count. Then he shifts, turning over and glaring petulantly at Jensen, who lets his arm rest on the bed where it's fallen for the moment. "I hate you."

"You don't."

"Damn it, Jensen, I just lost my dog!" Jared's voice cracks.

"I know," Jensen replies. "I know you did, Jay." Sympathy leaks into his voice, because he _knows_ what Harley meant to Jared. And only a few short months after losing Sadie, too. "But you knew he was sick. Hell, Jay, the vet told you it was a miracle they both lived as long as they did."

"Don't." Jared sniffs, hiding his face again, and Jensen wonders how many of his friend's tears Harley's blanket now holds. When he speaks again, his voice is muffled, but Jensen has no trouble understanding him. "Don't tell me I'm being ridiculous, or I should get over it, or…"

"I'd never tell you that." Now Jensen does reach up again, shifting closer so he can card his hand through Jared's hair, something he knows has always soothed the younger man.

It seems to be the trigger Jared's been waiting for, because he gives one great shuddering sob, and then he's clutching at Jensen with everything he has, holding onto him like if he lets go, he'll shatter into a thousand pieces.

Jensen wraps his arms around him and lets it come, lets Jared ride out the pain against his chest, tears soaking into Jensen's t-shirt as swiftly and surely as they've been soaking into the blanket Jared still, even now, can't let go of. He murmurs soothing words in Jared's ear, runs his hand up and down Jared's back, blinks back tears of his own because damn it, he misses them too.

But he made Harley one promise, when he'd bent to give the dog a final farewell hug in the vet's office, and that was to watch over Jared.

It's a promise he doesn't intend to break.

Jensen doesn't know how much time passes before the sobs start to taper off and Jared's grip starts to loosen. He knows that Jared is a mess, but doesn't let it stop him from smoothing back Jared's too-long hair or from pressing a kiss to his forehead. Jared ducks his head, but doesn't pull away in embarrassment the way he normally would.

"So…food and a shower?" he finally says, his voice fragile and a little lost. Jensen makes it his new goal to get Jared to smile today, just once, no matter how shaky it may be.

"And sunshine," Jensen says firmly. He hesitates before continuing. "I was thinking we could take a walk around the park. Maybe get some ice cream?"

The park and the ice cream stand. Two of Harley's favorite places. In his arms, Jared trembles, just a little, but his eyes gain back a small spark they've been lacking for days, and he gives an almost imperceptible, hesitant nod. "I… Yeah, I think… I'd like that."

"Well okay then," Jensen says with a small smile. "Go on, dude, you reek."

Jared glares as he levers himself up. He doesn't reach over and smack Jensen upside the head the way he would on any other day, but Jensen knows it's only a matter of time.

At the door, Jared pauses, looking down at the blanket he still carries in his arms. Harley's blanket. Jensen watches as, with trembling fingers, Jared folds it. Watches as he places it almost reverently in the doggie bed that still sits in the corner of the room. Then without a word or a backwards glance, he slips out of the room, and a few moments later, Jensen hears the shower turn on.

He takes a breath, closing his eyes and picturing gentle eyes and soft fur and a cold nose. He knows that wherever Harley is, he's back with his best friend, and trusting Jensen to look after _his_. "I got this, buddy," he says quietly. Another promise. "I got this."

He can almost swear he hears the answering bark, and he has no doubt that Harley heard him and understands.


End file.
